Apple to Comcast: if you want to sell iPhones, you have to sell iPads and eat the discount

Comcast and Charter are learning the hard way what it means to be in the wireless carrier business. The nation's number one and number two cable television firms have what they called "wireless phone ventures."

Comcast has an MVNO service to subscribers called Xfinity Mobile which piggybacks on both Xfinity's large number of Wi-Fi hotspots, and Verizon's network while Charter has it Spectrum Mobile offer using Big Red's network as well.

The cable companies are reportedly losing money so far, as they have to pay about $5 for a gig of data to Verizon, but the wireless services complement their other offers and can be packaged as complete solutions to customers.

As if to complicate things further for Comcast and Charter, Apple is now demanding they sell iPads and other fruity paraphernalia if they want to be selling iPhones as well. Between them, the two cable companies have about a million and a half subscribers, and if they want to increase that and stay competitive, they have to offer America's most popular phones at some point.

From Comcast, Apple is demanding a $36 subsidy for each iPad, reports CNBC, as well as a sales quota for its tablets that hasn't been disclosed yet but is likely to be in the thousands. Charter doesn't have to offer these sweeteners but only because it already has an Apple TV set-top box subsidy agreement with the gang from Cupertino. Cutthroat business indeed.

Posts: 2; Member since: Jun 17, 2019

posted on Jun 17, 2019, 2:39 AM 0

Posts: 4191; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

posted on Jun 17, 2019, 3:16 AM 11

Posts: 855; Member since: Mar 21, 2019

Nothing new with this. This is business. If you don’t want to follow business rules then don’t sell. Others has been doing it and no one is exempted. They have to provide quality service too after sales.

posted on Jun 17, 2019, 5:24 AM 1

Posts: 1495; Member since: Mar 29, 2019

So then why were you against Qualcomm doing it? They weren't doing anythign any different.
if you want to use their chips, you must purchase a license because theer are other technologies involved that they own.
And the $7.50 Apple was paying, sounds a lot less than $36.
But you all were being hypocritical then, just as you are now; and we know you will be in the future.

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